Thursday, May 27, 2010

Editor's Note:Chuck Wright, who recently joined Peirce College as the new Vice President of Institutional Advancement, joins Peirce Connections, and shares insight on a former Peirce professor in his first post. Look to learn more about Chuck and Institutional Advancement at Peirce in upcoming posts.

The primary reason that Peirce College has had such longevity (since 1865) in Philadelphia and success in educating every type of student can be summed up in one word - people.

From the current faculty, staff and students, to the terrific group of alumni and former Peirce professors that continue to champion Peirce and its mission, people form the core of the College and ensure it serves generation after generation.

Dr. Angelo E. DiAntonio, or "Dr. D", pictured in 1952 (left) and today (right).
Dr. DiAntonio was recently honored by Peirce College faculty, staff and alumni
with the founding of the Angelo E. DiAntonio Accounting Award.

The Peirce College Community recently had the opportunity to honor one of those people so important to our mission, a former faculty member and individual that truly embodies the "Peirce College spirit," accounting professor Dr. Angelo E. DiAntonio. On May 25, Peirce College staff, alumni, students and faculty - both past and present - gathered on campus to honor one of Peirce's best.

Simply stated, Dr. DiAntonio is a legend on campus. He joined the College in 1947 as an instructor in the Advanced Accounting Division. As a young instructor, Dr. DiAntonio found himself teaching a number of veterans from World War II, the majority of which were older than him. These were working adults seeking new opportunities and looking to unlock them through higher education, much like Peirce's students today.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Today, Peirce College announced a partnership with the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce that provides special membership benefits to Peirce students, including access to benefits offered to the Chamber's Entrepreneur and Young Professional Networks.

The Chamber selected Peirce for its first outreach to the student market because of the College's reputation and its strong tradition of educating residents who will one day work for Philadelphia businesses.

A full news release detailing the partnership is included below. It was also distributed on Business Wire. We look forward to building this ongoing relationship with the Chamber and encourage all Peirce students to utilize this student membership program.

Friday, May 21, 2010

As we embark on a new era at Peirce College, it is our mission to build a bonded, broad-based community and keep our stakeholders engaged for a lifetime, propelling the College forward for years to come. Our team has put together a documentary about the strategic planning process at Peirce, told by the people involved in the process – including faculty, staff, students, and alumni. I hope that this documentary will provide some insight as to how we’ve gone about setting goals for our future, and how we plan to implement those objectives.

Click on the video below to watch members of the Peirce community share their individual perspective on what the strategic planning process has meant to them:

Earlier in the month, the Walker Center for Academic Excellence held its annual year-end awards and recognition ceremony for students. The social event is always a popular gathering, and a great chance to acknowledge the academic achievements of students!

Refreshments were served and awards were presented to all students in attendance. Peirce President James J. Mergiotti was also in attendance to mingle with students. Thanks to all who joined us for what turned out to be a great evening!

The event celebrated our past, present, and future, engaging the community and highlighting the life changing experiences and bonds built at Peirce, as well as hopes for years to come.

The invitation billed the Peirce College spring reception as a “night out of the ordinary,” and in many ways, it was. Taking over an entire city block with an enormous tent, 400 people, and audio/video equipment is not ordinary -- nor is presenting a five-year strategic plan, which will set the College on course for future growth and expansion.

In one very important way, however, it was not a night out of the ordinary. Throughout the evening, the Peirce spirit was alive. Those in attendance expressed, to me and others, a great deal of enthusiasm and excitement for the new era. Many offered their appreciation for the vision and assistance in making it a reality.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

On Friday, May 14, Peirce students from the 2010 graduating class along with members of faculty and administration joined Mayor Michael Nutter, special guest Bill Cosby, and students and administration from colleges and universities across the Philadelphia region for a citywide graduation celebration. The event honored Philadelphians who have earned their college degree, and celebrated the city’s focus on education and degree attainment.

Mayor Nutter spoke about how degreed individuals enrich the city and his hope for this year’s graduates to become lifelong leaders in Philadelphia. He noted the importance of access to education and pointed out the Philly Goes 2 College initiative as one of the many resources available to Philadelphians who would like to pursue their degree.

Mayor Nutter made a special mention of Peirce’s own “three generation” graduates -- Gwendolyn McNuckles, Dionne Garrison, and Denise Garrison -- the grandmother, mother, daughter trio who will be graduating from Peirce in June.

With the month of May well underway, Commencement is just around the corner on Monday, June 14! We have a great deal of information to share with the Peirce College community surrounding the upcoming events, so I’d like to take this chance to provide some highlights and things to watch for in the coming weeks.

Soundtrack to Commencement: Peirce students and graduates have selected a new closing song for Commencement 2010. The end of the ceremonies will now be marked by “I Believe I Can Fly,” by R. Kelly.

Peirce Idol: Another feature introduced this year was the audition process to select the student who will lead us in the singing of our national anthem at this year’s Commencement. We had five great contestants come out and share their talents, so check out the auditions and vote for your favorite! The winner will be announced soon.

Speakers: Back in February, we shared the great news that Mayor Michael Nutter will deliver the keynote address, but we had yet to reveal who our student speaker will be -- the wait is over! We are proud to announce that Holly Frey, who will graduate in June 2010 with her Bachelor of Science in Paralegal Studies, will be sharing her insight and experience as the 2010 student speaker.

Show Your Peirce Pride: We will have a variety of Peirce merchandise for sale at all of the events surrounding Commencement. Keep an eye out for the displays featuring sweatshirts, T-shirts, mugs, pens, and plenty of other Peirce items that you’ll be able to purchase right on campus.

Caps and Gowns: Caps and gowns are on sale now through May 17. The graduating class can purchase them either through the Peirce College Web portal under the My Info tab, or in the Business Office, located on the lower level of College Hall. Business Office hours are Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Special hours will be added on Saturday, May 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you decide to order online, please designate if you will need your cap and gown shipped to your address.

The cost for cap, gown, tassel, and hood is $40. Students may use their own cap and gown as long as it is black, and purchase a hood and tassel for only ($23).

Remember, the deadline is May 17! Any questions can be directed to Jeri Dmyterko at 888.GO.PEIRCE, ext. 9120, or JDmyterko@Peirce.edu.

Graduation Portraits: Herff Jones is providing services for any graduate wishing to purchase graduation portraits. Students can go to www.ouryear.com to find out about services and to schedule an appointment. When scheduling an appointment, please enter school code: 87148 and year: 10. The remaining date is June 14 from noon to 4 p.m. All photography sessions will take place in College Hall, room 65.

Announcements, Frames, and Rings: Graduates can also visit Herff Jones' website to obtain information about ordering graduation announcements, diploma frames, and college rings. Herff Jones will be on campus June 14 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the main lobby of College Hall. There will be a limited number of frames on sale in the Business Office until May 17, 2010.

Toss Your Caps! Philly Graduates from College: On May 14, Mayor Nutter is hosting a citywide graduation celebration to honor Philadelphians who have earned their college degree. Five hundred graduates from approximately 20 colleges and universities are expected to participate. The event will include remarks from special guest Bill Cosby! Peirce is proud to be sending nearly 30 representatives from the class of 2010.

Open House and Receptions: On Monday, June 14, students and guests will have the opportunity to participate in a tour of Peirce College. Tours will begin every 30 minutes in the main lobby of College Hall and run between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Anniversary Attendees: Immediately preceding Commencement at 5 p.m., Peirce will also celebrate alumni from the Classes of 1930, 1940, 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1990, and 2000 at a special reception held on campus. To attend, please contact Julie Jurash by May 22 at JJurash@Peirce.edu.

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

On Tuesday, May 11, The Philadelphia Inquirer featured an inspiring story about three women -- grandmother, mother, and daughter -- who are all simultaneously achieving a great milestone. On June 14, the three will graduate together from Peirce College!

These three women are wonderful examples of the hardworking, committed students who attend Peirce, often juggling families and careers as they focus on continuing their education as adult learners. The trio recognized the importance of getting a degree, and found a way to make it happen at Peirce.

We are so proud of Gwendolyn, Dionne, and Denise for all of their achievements and wish them the best as they receive their degrees and move on to whatever awaits them! They exemplify what Peirce is all about and we are honored to have them representing the College as soon-to-be alumnae.

Be sure to read Snyder’s article to learn more about the journey of these three memorable women and the struggles and triumphs that got them to where they are today.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Tickets to Commencement are a hot commodity. This year is no different! If you need a few extra so you can bring more family and friends, or if you have extra to give away, you can use the Peirce College Facebook page to exchange with other students.

On our fan page, click on the Discussions tab and find the thread labeled “Commencement Ticket Swap.” If no one’s said anything yet, post a message saying how many tickets you need, or how many you have to give. If there are already messages in the thread, read through and contact a fellow student you could exchange with.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

On Monday, May 3 a group of staff and faculty had the pleasure of hearing five different Peirce students give their renditions of our country’s national anthem.

First of all, I’d like to extend a huge thank you to all our contestants! We were blown away by the auditions, and are so happy that you were willing to share your talents with us.

Now comes the time to decide which of these talented Peirce students will be singing the national anthem at this year’s Commencement.

Below is a video with audition highlights for all five talented contestants. In order we have: Raymond Desheilds, Valerie Ives, Anita Whitaker, Tangela Burnett, and Joshua Wise. The video is just over 10 minutes in length, but please listen to all the auditions before deciding.

Monday, May 3, 2010

An outstanding event is being planned at the College for May 17. That evening, representatives of the entire Peirce Community (students, alumni, faculty, staff, board members, partners, and friends) will gather on Carlisle Street for a spring reception.

The centerpiece will be a presentation of the College’s newly developed multi-year strategic agenda. The program will also provide ample opportunities for socializing and networking, punctuated by excellent food and beverages.

This will be the first time we have gotten the entire community together in several years, so we have chosen to mix in a little tradition, with the use of tents on Carlisle Street.

Until 1998, the College’s annual commencement ceremony was followed by a block party for graduates, their guests, faculty, and staff under a tent on Carlisle. Using tents for the reception will serve to symbolically remind us of the College’s historical, 145-year-old mission and strong legacy as we embark upon a new era.

It’s always exciting to bring folks to campus that have either never visited Peirce or haven’t done so in some time. Consistently, they marvel at the outstanding quality of students, faculty, and staff that represent today’s Peirce. They are also typically impressed with our newly renovated, state-of-the-art facilities. That will definitely be the case with many attendees on May 17.

Similar to the alumni open house we held in November 2009, one of the highlights of these gatherings is hearing the fondness for Peirce held by so many. Very often, when Peirce students and alumni interact, they refer to personal or professional transformations that occurred as a result of their Peirce experience.

Frequently, they exchange stories about faculty and staff members that went the extra mile and played a key role in their success. It is always pleasant to hear them pay tribute to their time at Peirce as being some of the most rewarding of their lives.

A primary goal for the new era is to have a bonded, broad-based community to propel the institution to new heights in the coming years. Events like this, which bring together all the stakeholders, serve as the foundation of that vision.

Informing the attendees about the College’s future direction and the roles of each constituency in fulfilling the mission should further engage them, and prompt more participation and enthusiasm for the College’s success -- a goal that serves students, alumni, faculty, and staff.

The networking and social aspects of the event provide them with the opportunity to advance their own agendas, while creating a stronger Peirce identity and sense of pride.